If you’re a startup business owner and the biggest question to you right now is whether you should develop a mobile app for your business, the answer to this would be a definitive “yes.” Smartphones are conquering the world, and apps are their strongest weapon. And since everything is much easier with a smartphone, businesses need mobile apps.
However, since you’re a startup, creating a mobile app might look like a dark place to go. The good news is there’s always room for learning. And we’re here to guide you through the steps of app development.
Here is a checklist on mobile app development for startups:
- A business plan
- Wireframe
- Design
- Build an MVP
- Marketing and monetization
- Deploy to app stores
1. A Business Plan
An elaborate mobile app development business plan is the first step you must take when it comes to mobile app development for startups. Here you can start with the idea and your app’s goal. In a business plan, you can define who your target audience will be and what their pain points are. As a startup, it’s important to know what your target audience is struggling with, and once you know that, you can find a solution to their problems. You can also define what would make your app stand out. Because to be honest, the competition in mobile app development is quite big. You might do some market research before starting to implement your idea.
Also, before going any further, you should decide on what platform you want to launch your app on. Will it be on Android or iPhone? Or both? You need to decide before starting the development because, for both platforms, there are different codes.
In addition, having a detailed plan will help you and your team keep track of the development process so you’ll have a good product.
2. Wireframe
A wireframe represents an app’s layout and architecture that includes images of each screen element and details on how it works. Wireframing your app aims to get a sense of what it will look like and how it will perform, which is vital for startup app development. Additionally, it shows examples of how various elements will look on the screen and how people will interact with your app. You can update your app when needed and add more features with wireframes. Once it’s done, you can test it and see how it works and if there are other requirements that need to be added.
3. Design
Another strategy in mobile app development for startups is to make sure the app designs are excellent from the start. People will try the app when they see how well-designed it is. If it functions properly, they will provide comments, motivating you to make future updates on your phone. The design of your app is crucial if you want to succeed as a startup app developer. However, an app’s functionality is equally as important as how it looks. Thus, make sure your app is user-friendly.
4. Build an MVP
You probably wouldn’t want to launch your app without knowing if it will succeed first. If so, it’s time to test your product. You can test your app by building a minimum viable product (MVP). An MVP is a product with enough features to show your idea to real users. It’s useful to have an MVP because it can reduce your time and costs if you need to erase some features that you already paid for. In other words, with an MVP, you can define your app’s weaknesses and improve them before full development.
5. Marketing and Monetization
When you build your app, don’t wait for it to just go into the user’s hands by itself. You need a marketing strategy so your app will reach out to your target audience. You can use different marketing tools, for example, social media.
Also, without a doubt, as a startup, you want to profit from your app, so you need a monetization plan. You can earn from your app through subscription, advertising, sponsorship, or other methods.
6. Deploy to App Stores
Now your app is ready to show its face in the real world. It’s time to launch it in the app stores. Every app store has its policies and requirements when launching a new app, so your job is to see if it is ready to launch. Once the app store has approved you, you decide to launch your app, and then you can prepare yourself to receive the first feedback.
You’re good to go!
As a startup, you must be organized. Have a good and detailed business plan, create wireframes to preview your app’s appearance, and, most importantly, choose a nice and friendly design. Before going any further, test your app to see how it functions. Marketing and a monetization strategies are also important. Once you make it to all these steps, launch your startup, and you’re good to go!
